Sunday, May 01, 2005

UN Sudan Situation Reports 26, 27, 30 April 2005

Here are the latest reports by UN personnel in Sudan for April 26, 27, 30, 2005.

April 30, 2005:

Key Developments:

The National Assembly met in emergency session on 30 April to discuss SCR 1591 and 1593. Foreign Affairs Minister Mustafa addressed the Assembly, reiterating President Bashir vow not to extradite any Sudanese person and ciriticizing the UN Security Council and Secretary-General. The Assembly decided to form a committee to discuss SCR 1593 in particular.

Political:

PDSRSG Zerihoun attended the inauguration of the National Constitutional Review Commission on 30 April. The event was boycotted by major political parties based in Khartoum.

Leader of the Popular Congress Party, Hassan al-Turabi, has been moved out of prison and placed back under house arrest north of Khartoum. The move, is consistent with a trend in recent weeks to open up the political space in Khartoum.

Military:

The Italian led SHIRBRIG TCC Reconnaissance Team continues meetings with Military and MSD staffs.

UN Police: NSTR Returns:465 returnees were registered passing through Kosti on 28 and 30 April to various locations in south Sudan.

DDR: NSTRHumanitarian:

On 29 April the UN received reports that the population of IDPs in the Camps at Mournei (Al-Genaina- West Darfur) had increased to 82000 with over 8000 not yet registered. The reasons for the increase in IDP population in the area, are both the relative peace in the Mournei Camp and the insecurity in the surrounding camps.

On 29 April, the UN received reports that the resident of Aloua village (North Darfur) are in dire need of humanitarian assistance.

OCHA reports that Kosti Wharf is becoming congested. There are currently 176 families on the wharf.

An assessment mission comprising ADRA, ACF, Sudan Council of Churches, Health Aid International, UNICEF, FAO, UNHCR, OCHA and HAC was fielded on 28 April to Mayo 39, a location southwest of Juba along the Juba-Yei road to gauge the number of returnees arriving along the route and to assess the suitability of the location as a registration site for returnees. No evidence was found along the route of civilian settlements between Juba and Mayo 39, all the communities were decimated by the war. The road between Juba and Mayo 40 is still infested with UXO and landmines.

On 30 April, OCHA and UNJLC carried out a survey of Dali and Jebel Si IDP camps, around Tawila (North Darfur), to gather information on the return of IDPs after previous violent incidents in the camps on 1 April, involving the death of a child and the injuring of three people. According to the information gathered, in Dali, less than 42% of the IDPs had returned to the camps by 30 April.

The long overdue registration exercise for Abu Shouk (North Darfur) is planned to take place within the next week.

On 29 April, the HAC Commissioner of West Darfur (as a result of a direct order from the South Darfur Wali and in coordination with the Committee for voluntary return) transported 78 households/233 people from Otash, Kalma and Nyala to Garsilla (South Darfur) When interviewed by UNHCR, most of the IDPs expressed that there return was voluntary.

Mine Action: NSTRHuman Rights:

During a field visit to Kabkabiya, approximately 150 km West of Al Fasher, HROs met with the leader of all Fur tribes ("Shartaj") and head of the native administration in this area. The Shartaj explained that the Wali of North Darfur had, in response to a request by the governor of Kabkabiya from June last year, deprived him on 10 March of his original power of office. Instead, he had appointed Abd Al Baghi Abd al Rahman, (known as the main leader of Arab militias in Kabkabiya) as the head of all Arab tribes in the region. The Shartaj interpreted the decree as an attempt by the government to gain control over all land.

Civil Affairs:

On 28 April 2005, the Civil Affairs team in El Fasher met with Fur, Zaghawa, Tunjor and Berti tribal leaders in Abushouk IDP camp to follow-up on reconciliation and return issues. The tribal leaders stressed that current government reconciliation efforts are for propaganda purposes only, and that tribal leaders who signed the agreements are not representative. The tribal leaders reiterated that no returns should take place unless the perpetrators of the crimes in Darfur have been tried internationally, security is provided, and the Janjaweed are disarmed, Furthermore, they requested that the AU role be extended to the protection of IDP camps and villages.

Public Information: NSTRMedia: NSTRInsecurity:

The UN received reports that an alleged exchange of fire between the GOS Police and Forces suspected to be SLA/JEM near OMM Check Point (North Darfur) on the night of 28 April 05. The GoS further claimed that during the incident one person from amongst their adversaries was alleged killed and one injured.

On 29 April the UN received reports that 2 trucks were robbed along Omm-Tawila road (Al-Fasher-North Darfur)

On 29 April, the UN received reports that isolated cases of criminal activities took place in the area of Ladub, Sani Afondo and Muhajariya villages (South Darfur). Safety of Personnel: NSTR Casualties: NSTR Comments: NSTR - - -

“Violence will bring no victory. For the sake of the Darfur civilians, all parties to the conflict have to stop resorting to violence. This is the absolute priority.” - Luis Moreno-Ocampo, Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, 05 June 2009

"APPREHENSION" by Rob Rooker. Painted on a wall in Maridi, Sudan. The image is of a young Nuer boy looking up among a crowd of people. Click on image for more details. Cards & prints of Rob's paintings can be purchased online at Imagekind.com